The Myanmar snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus strykeri) is one of the most unique animals in the world, having only been officially documented by science in 2010. This primate is commmonly characterized by its jet-black fur and a thin white beard.
They are famous for their highly unusual anatomical features. They completely lack an outer nasal cartilage, a physical condition that causes their nostrils to upturn directly toward the sky like an open funnel.
The local people of the Law Waw tribe in Kachin, northern Myanmar, had long known about this animal well before scientists arrived. In their local language, this monkey is dubbed Mey nwoah, a literal name meaning "monkey with an upturned face".
Despite having unique physical characteristics, they are prone to sneezing when rain hits their native high-mountain habitats. The open shape of their nostrils allows rainwater to automatically flow inside and clog their respiratory tract.
Consequently, the water entering the nose triggers a respiratory shock reflex, immediately forcing the entire colony into bouts of mass sneezing repeatedly throughout the storm.
A Costly Physiological Defense
Sneezing fits can drain their physical energy needed to forage for food in the middle of the rainforest wilderness. A lack of stamina during these weakened physical states makes it difficult for them to move actively to pluck fruits or leaves.
To circumvent this, they immediately halt all their daily activities in the trees as storm clouds begin to thicken and the sky darkens. As the mountain forest environment cools and grows dark, the colony chooses to stop moving entirely.
These monkeys will then select the sturdiest tree branch and sit motionless, freezing in place for a long time. They tuck their bodies and hide their faces tightly between their knees. This simple tactic is carried out to ensure that not a single drop of rainwater manages to slip into their nostrils.
The Danger Hidden in a Sneeze
Unfortunately, this huddling survival tactic does not always succeed in saving them from the various dangers lurking on the forest floor. The uniqueness of their upturned nose anatomy instead becomes the most fatal flaw threatening their species' survival in the wild.
Their loud post-rain sneezing makes them highly vulnerable to hunting. The sneezing sounds they produce can attract nearby predators.
This sound makes it easier for outsiders to detect the location of the colony while they are in a physically weakened state. Once their position is mapped, the huddled, exhausted, and fatigued group of monkeys becomes an incredibly easy target to approach, without them ever realizing the approaching danger.
The Extinction Risk
Currently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed this upturned-nosed monkey species on the Red List with a Critically Endangered status. Ecological researchers estimate that the number of individuals still able to survive in their native habitat has now dropped below just 330 worldwide.
This extremely small population leaves their genetic variation at its lowest ebb, increasing the risk of extinction from even the smallest endemic disease. The isolated terrain of the border region also means that monitoring and law enforcement regarding the protection of this animal remain minimal.
In their dwindling native habitat, the existence of the Mey nwoah now relies solely on their own ability to keep hiding beneath the silence of the rainforest canopy.
